Dr Jerzy Nawracała, Prof. University of Life Sciences in Poznań, head of the Department of Genetics and Breeding of the Poznan university, was elected chairman of the European Soybean Improvement Network (ESIN) – an organization that connects all who conduct research and deal with soy farming in Europe.

The idea of establishing a platform connecting soy researchers and breeders was established in 2018. The first working meeting of ESIN was held in May 2019 in Poznań and was attended by scientists and breeders from Austria, Germany, Serbia, Romania, Moldova and Poland and representatives of the Donau Soya Association, an organization promoting the cultivation of non-genetically modified soy in Europe.

In recent years, interest in soybean cultivation has increased in Poland and in Europe. In Europe, the growing area of this plant expands very rapidly – from 2.6 million hectares in 2012 to 4.4 million hectares in 2018. Therefore, in many European countries, programs for breeding new soy varieties have been started.